Bailey turns to Ponting for Indian advice

Stand-in one-day captain George Bailey has called on the knowledge of retired champion Ricky Ponting in a bid to give Australia the upper hand in their one day tour of India.

AAP
09 October 2013

Ahead of a sole Twenty20 fixture on Friday, which precedes the seven one-day clashes, Bailey revealed he sought the ear of Ponting before leaving Australia.

Ponting led Australia to comfortable series wins in 2007 and 2009 to demonstrate an ability to produce short-form triumphs in India - despite the home nation's superior spinning culture, and tendency to produce turning wickets.

Because despite Australia's miserable record in Test cricket on recent Indian tours, their one day teams have enjoyed far more success.

And Australia's squad, who are without captain Michael Clarke (back injury) and coach Darren Lehmann (rested before Ashes), still boasts the veteran leadership of vice-captain Brad Haddin and allrounder Shane Watson.

Bailey believes the tourists have sufficient experience to remind the team of what they are capable of on foreign soil.

"There're a few guys who will be on this tour who have (played in winning teams) and we'll tap into that," he said.

"I spoke to Ricky Ponting a couple of days ago about one day cricket in India and a few of the things he thinks can make a difference."

One thing Bailey expects to work in Australia is a move away from the dustbowl wickets, and the incredible turn they offer India's spinning corps, that contributed to India's 4-0 Test whitewash earlier this year.

In that one-sided affair, Indian spin kings Ravindra Jadeja and Ravi Ashwin combined to take an astonishing 58 wickets in the series.

"I think the one day wickets are pretty good cricket wickets," he said.

"The Test wickets generally tend to spin a fair bit and challenge us in that way.

"(The one day wickets) tend to be a bit more of an even contest between bat and ball."

The opinions expressed here are the views of the writer and do not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of Cricket Australia.

Australian Associated Press

The opinions expressed here are the views of the writer and do not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of Cricket Australia